Gratiot Cruise fans wish it would never end'

Jason Masters of Fraser had a front-row seat to the hot rods and vintage vehicles parading past him as he lounged on a lawn chair on Gratiot Avenue near 15 Mile Road on Sunday during the 2012 Gratiot Cruise in Clinton Township.

“Oh man, I wish this would never end,” he said.

That expression was echoed by many who attended the 10th anniversary of the 2.5-mile classic car procession along Gratiot between 14 Mile Road and Wellington Crescent.

Observers say attendance of people watching the cruise was down slightly, while the number of cars taking part was up significantly over previous years. Some say that’s a sign of an improving economy and car owners willing to take their vehicles out of the garage again and show them off.

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Overall, the attendance was pegged at just under 200,000.

Police reported few problems. A handful of cars — including a police patrol car — overheated and had to be towed from the avenue.

Longtime Gratiot Cruise fans have longed complained that the event lacked a consistent flow of the muscle cars and hot rods, but that clearly wasn’t the case on Sunday as more cars than ever took part in the event, which started at noon and ran until 6 p.m.

More west-siders than even turned out, and some cars came from as far away as New Jersey to be in the Gratiot Cruise.

Bob Fryz, 65, of Dearborn, was getting a lot of attention for his blue-and-white 1951 customized Ford that contains rear flame throwers and named “Sh’boom.” He likes the Gratiot Cruise because the storefronts along the avenue provide plenty of space for cruisers to park and show off their vehicles or for fans who want a place to sit back and check out the action.

“Each cruise has its own identity, even the three different Gratiot cruises,” he said. “What I like about this one is, the cars keep moving and there’s a lot of nice people out here. You’re seeing a lot more cars from my side of town as well, and that means more people are becoming interested in the Gratiot Cruise.”

Cruise committee chairwoman Shanon Rupkus agreed.

“We are seeing way more cars than ever out on Gratiot actually cruising,” she said. “Frankly, that’s not something we’ve seen a lot of in the past, so this is very cool.”

Cruise day started off with gray clouds and a light rain falling but by the time Emma Guzman performed the National Anthem to open the event around noon, the sun came out and a refreshing breeze made for a comfortable day.

Hundreds of spectators lined Gratiot between 14 Mile Road and Wellington Crescent to watch the 25-car parade of cruise sponsors, dignitaries and elected officials to start the event at McLaren Macomb Cruise Headquarters at Metropolitan Parkway.

“It was too short,” said Michele Dorian after driving a 2000 Thunderbird belonging to her mother, Lucy Dorian, 82, of the Dorian Ford dealership, on the VIP parade. “I would have liked to have kept driving for a little while because we had a police escort and we were having a good time.”

A good time was also had by more than youngsters who took part in the pedal car parade and then headed over to the Moran Kids Zone where numerous free games and activities were available all manned by workers from Clinton Township’s Parks and Recreation Department. They were able to paint cars, play in a sandbox, and jump on inflatables while the cars cruised on.

“It’s nice that they have so many activities for the kids,” said Linda Park of Mount Clemens, who came with her 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son.

At the Dorian Ford Midway near the Lowe’s store, cruise-goers visited booths manned by nonprofits, enjoyed barbecued food, and listened to music.

Lynn Nagorski, owner of Catering 2 You, dished about buying the closed Dimitri’s Rendezvous and converting it into a new catering facility that will be open in a few months. She said reports of adding a sports bar to the property were incorrect.

“I’ve noticed everyone out here at the cruise is in a good mood. There seems to be a lot of optimism, a lot of revitalization going on along Gratiot,” Nagorski said.

Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon said it’s hard to believe the cruise -- established to draw attention to businesses on the Gratiot strip -- is already in its 10th year. He said the committee of volunteers who work all year on the details along with the business owners who have not only spruced up their properties over the past decade but also financially support the event, deserve all the credit for its success.

“There’s a lot going on today,” Cannon said. “There are a lot of employee appreciation parties, a lot of customer appreciation parties and a lot of people who just love cars parties all going on.”

Over at Dorian Ford, dealership vice president Carolyn Dorian heard positive feedback from a Ford official who attended the event.

“He called it a hidden secret,” she said. “He said it seemed to run smoother than the Dream Cruise as the cars were all moving. And he noticed the sidewalks were clear, so people could ride their bikes and push their strollers. He really seemed to like it.”

All of the strip’s bars — Cracker Jack’s Bar & Grill, Piper’s Alley, and Alibi Inn all had strong attendance, which spilled over south of 14 Mile Road into Roseville where Hooter’s and Dooleys Irish Tavern both hosted their own parties.

At the Alibi Inn, Sandy Constantin of Clinton Township and her daughter, Angela Bathurst of St. Clair Shores, recalled Shirley Boothman, the late owner of Alibi Inn, one of the first supporters of the cruise.

“Everyone here still loves and misses her,” Constantin said. “But we remember her all the time, especially at the cruise.”